THE OLD BLACK PINE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1764, 11 February 1888, Page 3

THE OLD BLACK PINE.

From a recently uaued work, 'The •tory of the Otago Ohaiob,' written by the Rev. Stuart Rom, atd published by Meeirs H Wise and O<>., Dunadin, we (" Talere Advocate ' ) extract the following pasa-iga.

" Originally, t^ey (the Green Island Oongrtgation) shared m the ministrations of Mr Barm, and wer-i afterwards m Mr WlH'a wide patish. Tbe ooogregation aaat at first for public worship m tbe Beh 01, a «mrll olay building which occupied a clearing m the bain That toooamodated them well enough on onpropitbas days, wht»n tbe sky was dark and the roads were drenohed with rain ; bat when the warm bright sunshine ■traamed aroaod them, ana allured tbe most distant families from their homes, tha congregation worshipped under tbe shade of a venerable pine which stood m proximity to the school ; a stamp iv thote good, eld primitive times did duty for a plate, and ou its even tafsoe the oortrlbutioas of the pioas were oast."

In connection with the above ire are •are that the following linei, written aomo thirty yean ago by Mr J»hn Blair, teacher of the F*li field ichoul, vrl'l cauee • th iil of tender recollection In tbe breaa ■ of many of our readers, who, when In imagination they oot jure op the plot are of tbe congregation auembled at the foot of the old pine, moit alio be rnminded of many eld frlenda who h«Te departed to their Eternal Hi me. Tne Tetiea were kindly hauded to tii •ome tiooe »go by M«j >r Aodrtw, who In the dayc referred to mcd to ac* at precentor. He eaya that oioae to tbe pine vii an old stump that did doty ■• a palpit ; the rtgoiar pr«»oher wu the Rev. Mr. Will, by the He? Dr. Btaart hti alio - preaobed from the nut polpji,